Union, check and ball valve-overflow

Fishboy15 · 08/04/2016, 01:37 AM

Making DIY overflow with PVC, what does the union do in this, also the ball and check valve, do I need these pieces for my overflow, I have made everything mostly just wondering if I need these pieces.i have not connected the pipes yet so I don't want to glue yet.

MrsReefK · 08/04/2016, 02:32 AM

The union gives you the capability to easily remove the pipe to clean it or any Maintenances. Ball valve gives you the ability to shut off and also control flow going through the pipe. If you have the pieces already, slide them together (without glueing) and get familiar with how they work now.

You can look down the pipe and see how the ball valve functions as you turn the valve.

Check valve creates an anti Siphon so water can only go one direction through the pipe.

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billdogg · 08/04/2016, 04:09 AM

And the check valve will fail. Do not rely on it to save you from a flood.

Rybren · 08/04/2016, 05:50 AM

Those PVC overflows are notoriously unreliable. It's usually not a matter of if they'll fail; it's when they'll fail.

Been there, done that, had the wet floors to prove it.

Do yourself a favour and drill the tank. If you can't drill it, then get yourself a good overflow box. They aren't as good as drilling, but are much better than the PVC type overflows.

MrsReefK · 08/04/2016, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

And the check valve will fail. Do not rely on it to save you from a flood.

Great point!

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Fishboy15 · 08/05/2016, 04:03 PM

Do I need a union? Where would you put the union at? Do I need one for each side? The inlet is how he did it with PVC setup but I connected the hose to the sump, about 1 foot long to the sump. The other side is a PVC return with about 3 feet to the pump. Isn't a union to disconnect and clean it? Wouldn't I already be able to take it apart easy enough?
Also, the ball valve, where does that one go? The return side right?

heathlindner25 · 08/05/2016, 04:24 PM

You don't need unions.

thegrun · 08/05/2016, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

You don't need unions.

...until you need one!

heathlindner25 · 08/05/2016, 05:03 PM

In my opinion ,most basic systems don't" need them", more elaborate systems,yes.
I only use them on the return pump for cleaning

thegrun · 08/05/2016, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

In my opinion ,most basic systems don't" need them", more elaborate systems,yes.
I only use them on the return pump for cleaning

Your right you really do not need them at all, but anytime you have elbows it sure is nice to have them down the road for cleaning.

CindyK · 08/05/2016, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsReefK

Great point!

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Getting equipment together to work on my plumbing. I'd like to plan water levels in my 75 gal, 30 gal sump so that if I have a failure, it won't overflow. I was going to put in a check valve as a secondary precaution ( first line of defense being correct water levels). Does anyone have any suggestions how I can go about texting my water levels, then adding the check valve later ( other than the obvious setting it all up without the check valve, then breaking it back down to add it)?

Tks

Cindy

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billdogg · 08/06/2016, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CindyK

Getting equipment together to work on my plumbing. I'd like to plan water levels in my 75 gal, 30 gal sump so that if I have a failure, it won't overflow. I was going to put in a check valve as a secondary precaution ( first line of defense being correct water levels). Does anyone have any suggestions how I can go about texting my water levels, then adding the check valve later ( other than the obvious setting it all up without the check valve, then breaking it back down to add it)?

Tks

Cindy

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

You will be way better off just making it so that there is no need for a check valve in the first place. It really is not a question of "if" it might fail, but rather "when" it will fail. If your sump cannot handle whatever water drains down to it when the power is off, the sump is too small and/or the return line is too far from the surface. Ideally, the return line should only be an inch or so below the surface so that as water drains from the DT, a natural, and automatic, siphon break occurs.

CindyK · 08/07/2016, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

You will be way better off just making it so that there is no need for a check valve in the first place. It really is not a question of "if" it might fail, but rather "when" it will fail. If your sump cannot handle whatever water drains down to it when the power is off, the sump is too small and/or the return line is too far from the surface. Ideally, the return line should only be an inch or so below the surface so that as water drains from the DT, a natural, and automatic, siphon break occurs.

Is there any harm in doing both?

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billdogg · 08/07/2016, 01:12 PM

The check valve WILL fail, and it DOES cause an unneeded restriction in the plumbing. In a return line that means decreased flow to the tank. In a drain line it is one more spot for (name a critter) to get stuck in on it's way to the sump. In my recent setup of a 60g frag tank, I put 3 green chromis in the tank just, well, because. One of them didn't last 4 hours in the frag tank before taking the new water slide (drain line) to the sump, where it will remain if for no other reason than I am not removing all that rock to catch a chromis.

08/04/2016, 01:37 AM	#1
Fishboy15 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 50	Union, check and ball valve-overflow Making DIY overflow with PVC, what does the union do in this, also the ball and check valve, do I need these pieces for my overflow, I have made everything mostly just wondering if I need these pieces.i have not connected the pipes yet so I don't want to glue yet.

08/04/2016, 02:32 AM	#2
MrsReefK Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 981	Union, check and ball valve-overflow The union gives you the capability to easily remove the pipe to clean it or any Maintenances. Ball valve gives you the ability to shut off and also control flow going through the pipe. If you have the pieces already, slide them together (without glueing) and get familiar with how they work now. You can look down the pipe and see how the ball valve functions as you turn the valve. Check valve creates an anti Siphon so water can only go one direction through the pipe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/04/2016, 04:09 AM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	And the check valve will fail. Do not rely on it to save you from a flood. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

08/04/2016, 05:50 AM	#4
Rybren Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,642	Those PVC overflows are notoriously unreliable. It's usually not a matter of if they'll fail; it's when they'll fail. Been there, done that, had the wet floors to prove it. Do yourself a favour and drill the tank. If you can't drill it, then get yourself a good overflow box. They aren't as good as drilling, but are much better than the PVC type overflows. __________________ 120G Mixed Reef, 28G AIO zoa/pipefish tank

08/07/2016, 01:12 PM	#14
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	The check valve WILL fail, and it DOES cause an unneeded restriction in the plumbing. In a return line that means decreased flow to the tank. In a drain line it is one more spot for (name a critter) to get stuck in on it's way to the sump. In my recent setup of a 60g frag tank, I put 3 green chromis in the tank just, well, because. One of them didn't last 4 hours in the frag tank before taking the new water slide (drain line) to the sump, where it will remain if for no other reason than I am not removing all that rock to catch a chromis. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

08/05/2016, 04:03 PM	#6
Fishboy15 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 50	Do I need a union? Where would you put the union at? Do I need one for each side? The inlet is how he did it with PVC setup but I connected the hose to the sump, about 1 foot long to the sump. The other side is a PVC return with about 3 feet to the pump. Isn't a union to disconnect and clean it? Wouldn't I already be able to take it apart easy enough? Also, the ball valve, where does that one go? The return side right?

08/05/2016, 04:24 PM	#7
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	You don't need unions.

08/05/2016, 05:03 PM	#9
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	In my opinion ,most basic systems don't" need them", more elaborate systems,yes. I only use them on the return pump for cleaning